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What are arthrosis and arthritis?

Arthritis and arthrosis sound similar. Both
of them affect your bones, ligaments, and joints. They also share many of the
same symptoms, including joint stiffness and pain. But the difference between
the two is important.

Arthritis is
an umbrella term. It’s used to describe several conditions that cause
inflammation in your joints. In some cases, the inflammation can also affect
your skin, muscles, and organs. Examples include osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid
arthritis (RA), and gout.

Arthrosis is another name for OA, one type of
arthritis. It’s the most common type of arthritis, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin
Diseases. It’s caused by
normal wear and tear on your joints and cartilage. Cartilage is the slippery
tissue that covers the ends of your bones and helps your joints move. Over time,
your cartilage can deteriorate and may even disappear completely. This results
in bone-to-bone contact in your joints, causing pain, stiffness, and sometimes
swelling.

Arthrosis can affect any joint in your body.
It’s most likely to affect the joints of your hands, neck, knees, and hips. Your
risk of developing it increases with age.

What are the symptoms of arthritis, including arthrosis?

The symptoms of arthritis vary from one type
to another. Joint pain and stiffness are the two most common. Other common
symptoms of arthritis include:

swelling in your joints

redness of the skin around affected joints

reduced range of motion in affected joints

The most
common symptoms of arthrosis, in particular, include:

joint pain

joint stiffness

tenderness around affected joints

reduced flexibility in affected joints

bone-to-bone grating or rubbing

bone spurs, or small bits of extra bone growth that may develop around
affected joints

What are the risk factors for arthritis, including arthrosis?

Your risk of developing arthrosis, as well as
some other types of arthritis, can be affected by:

Age: Arthrosis and many other types
of arthritis are more common in older people.

Gender: Women are more likely to
develop arthrosis, as well as RA. Men are more likely to develop gout.

Weight: Extra weight puts more
pressure on your joints. This raises your risk of joint damage and arthrosis.
Being overweight also raises your risk of some other types of arthritis.

Injuries: Accidents and infections
can damage your joints, raising your risk of arthrosis. It can also raise your
chances of developing some other types of arthritis.

Occupation: Work that requires you to
put a lot of stress on joints can increase your risk of arthrosis.

Genes: You’re more likely to
develop arthrosis if you have a family history of the condition. Your genes
also affect your chances of developing other types of arthritis like RA.

How
are arthrosis and other types of arthritis diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask you questions about your
symptoms and family history. This will help them diagnose your type of
arthritis. They will also conduct a physical exam. They may also conduct one or
more tests, such as:

blood tests to check for markers of inflammation and infection

joint aspiration to collect and analyze a sample of fluid from an
affected joint

arthroscopy or other imaging tests, such X-rays or MRI scans, to
visually examine your affected joints

Arthroscopy
involves your doctor inserting a small camera near one of more of your affected
joints. This will allow them to get a closer look.

How are arthrosis and other types of
arthritis treated?

Your doctor will recommend a treatment plan
for arthrosis, or other types of arthritis. Treatments may include: